Border Crossing: the Dynamic Interplay between Place, Culture and Creativity

The paper builds upon Milligan’s previous published research in digital literacies, e-learning and curriculum internationalisation featured by the higher education academy. Border Crossings describes an innovative approach to research-led teaching which combines creative knowledge exchange explored through a social network system (NING). Milligan describes the growth of the Border Crossings experience highlighting significant engagement compared to other ‘collaboration’ with over five hundred students’ and academics collaborating over a three year period from across textiles, jewellery and interior disciplines whilst operating across various time-zones and involving international partners in Scotland, USA and Slovenia. Milligan et al describe the impact of identity management research issues (as featured in the recent EPSRC IMPrints project) in providing intellectual triggers for Border Crossings exchanges over the last three years. Both logistical, descriptive and critical aspects of the paper outline the structure and content of this complex collaboration. The authors’ question the inflexibility of ‘closed’ academic virtual learning environments (VLE’s) as collaborative ‘disablers’, whilst the ethos of the paper illustrates creative strategies designed to enable learners’ to shift from vulnerable networked consumers toward future socially networked design professionals. Whilst the paper implies a dominant pedagogic focus it is principally a discussion about the impact place has in forming ones personal or professional sense of identity in an increasingly connected world. Milligan explores issues of place, non-place and Castell’s spaces-of-flow paradigm against the Border Crossings initiative. The papers title is both a metaphor of historical incursions into neighbouring territory but also reflects increases in disciplinary border crossings incursions in education, research and industry. Border Crossings seeks to navigate these issues.